Brave Lacey!
Lacey has been doing a lot of ground work in preparation for starting her under saddle training. Today she got to face off against the scary tarp…and she did great!!! This is a terrible Halloween costume! Lacey shows the tarp who’s boss
SAFE Receives a Training Grant from the ASPCA
We are proud to announce that SAFE has been awarded a $5,000 Training Grant from the ASPCA Equine Fund. This grant was given in recognition of SAFE’s commitment to producing good equine citizens who are ready to succeed, through the use of professional training and the development of our Volunteer Riding Program. The APSCA Equine Fund’s Training Grant was created to improve adoption rates…
An update on Hickory (now Listo)
this just in from Hickory’s adopter: I thought you might like a Listo (aka Hickory) update. Listo has been with us for 8 months now. He is doing great and has settled in with my other two horses. There have been some challenges along the way but none to great and none requiring a vet visit for anyone. I rode LIsto lots this spring and summer. Now that it is fall and the rains are here I have…
Saddling Stevie
Today, after much preparation and groundwork Stevie was ready to be introduced to the saddle. He had just a few bucks feeling out the saddle but quickly settled to a nice comfortable and relaxed walk, trot and lope. Volunteer rider Casey A. has done great work preparing him for this day! The fact that saddling this young horse for the very first time was so easy and uneventful is a direct result…
Video: Stifle Strengthening Exercise
Jewel helps the vet demonstrate an exercise to help strengthen a horse’s stifles:
Video: Emmy Trot Poles
October Volunteer of the Month: Lexee Navarre
Lexee Navarre is one of the best neighbors, friends and volunteers SAFE has ever had. Selected as October’s Volunteer of the Month, Lexee regularly pitches in to do nightcheck, pinch hits on short shifts, and on Day of Caring in September, led a team of adult engineers from Allytics on a construction project, prompting the Allytics CEO to describe her as “amazing.” She has been on our official…
New Friends: Annabelle and Aubrey
It’s always interesting to pair up two horses for the first time…you never quite know how they’re going to get along. Happily, Annabelle and Aubrey, two mares looking for companion homes, hit it off right away when turned out together for the first time. Since this video was shot, the two have been seen grooming each other in the field, the sign of a true friendship! Good girls!
Video: Bridgit Ground Work
<iframe width=“560” height=“315” src=“https://www.youtube.com/embed/dVoGyUk3_PI” frameborder=“0” allowfullscreen></iframe>
Alumni Visit with Anakin, Strider, Einstein, and Kai
We had the amazing good fortune to visit some old friends recently: Anakin, Kai, Einstein, and the big hoss Strider. All four boys are living the good life in their neighboring adoptive homes. Thank you so much to Barb and Michel for inviting us over! Can’t wait til next time! [gallery columns=“2” size=“medium” link=“file”…
The Evolution of Sophie
Today Sophie was officially upgraded from a Prospect to a Riding Horse. Admittedly, this is a fairly minor development in Sophie’s career, but quietly behind the scenes, Sophie is making a big impact on how we think about horses here at SAFE. As a SAFE horse, Sophie is what most of us would consider a Rescue Horse. A near-death experience was what turned Sophie into a Rescue Horse: she was…
Good girl Gracie!
Gracie has been making super progress under saddle, learning to relax and listen to the feel of her rider. She seems to have been ridden with a lot of rein aid in the past, so we are working on getting her to tune into the presence of her rider rather than relying on heavy use of the rein. Gracie is very sensitive to being asked to move forward, and she easily leg yields with very little asking…
Go Joey Go!
After a couple of days cooped up inside by bad weather, Joey was feeling good, good, GOOD to get outside for a nice little jog!
Adoption Announcement: Scarlett!
Since coming to SAFE last spring, SAFE barn manager Lori, who is an equine bodyworker, spent a lot of time massaging and working with Scarlett. And it wasn’t long before Scarlett’s charm and beautiful soulful eyes made Lori fall in love with her. This is truly one of the best homes we could imagine for our sweet senior girl. She not only has a loving human family but Lori has been able to…
Anderson in Training
Early in July of this year, we made the decision to put Anderson back into training, this time with Joel Conner. Although Anderson had a good start as a riding horse, there were some holes in his training that had started cropping up. A bucking incident unseated SAFE trainer Terry Phelps, and although she was unhurt, her confidence in Anderson was a bit shaken. Other holes in his training were…
Stormy’s Eyes
Stormy got a visit from Rainland Farm Equine veterinarian Megan McCracken DVM earlier this month, including an eye examination to try to determine how serious her condition is. Below, you can read the report from Dr McCracken in all its clinical detail. Stormy has a condition called Uveitis in both her eyes. Uveitis is fairly common in Appaloosas, especially those that are grey or white like…
Intake Photos
Prince, Rico, Vida, Rosie, and Ruckus were surrendered to SAFE after their owner passed away unexpectedly from cancer. The five horses were transported without incident to a SAFE foster home, where they will remain until their quarantine period is over. We’ve been told that the four full-sized horses are well started under saddle and some are very easy to ride. They all seem to be very well…
Congratulations to Ruth and Bucky B Lucky!
SAFE Alum, Bucky B Lucky (who now goes by Lorenzo) and his adopter Ruth Jelinek were named Reserve Champions overall at the Ride for the Roses Thoroughbred & Half-Thoroughbred Show at Donida Farm this weekend. Along with this honor, they also achieved the High Point English English Pleasure award as well as the High Score Dressage award with a 75.45% in Training 3. Congratulations to you…
Atticus Site Visit Photo
2016 Q3 Impact Statement
New Horses Intake Date: July 21, 2016 Gracie (owner surrender) Intake Date: August 5, 2016 Mason (owner surrender) Intake Date: September 19, 2016 King (Pierce County Animal Control) Stormy (Pierce County Animal Control) Placed Horses Khianna Anakin Scarlett Euthanized Horses Rocky (medical reasons)
Consulting Ben on the Day of Caring
Day of Caring 2016 — Thank you, Allytics!
Thanks to United Way of King County, September 23rd, 2016 witnessed excellent changes at Save a Forgotten Equine (SAFE) in Woodinville. As part of the nonprofit’s annual Day of Caring event, 50 volunteers from the Redmond-based company Allytics ventured out of their office for a day of team building hard work at SAFE’s farm on Hollywood Hill in Woodinville. Under gray and drizzly skies, the…
Mason
Our new buddy Mason came to us with trouble in his eyes and scars all over his body. He radiated tension and fear. Our initial evaluation was that he might never be able to be safely ridden. Barn manager Lori M took this horse under her wing and has already spent many hours with him, working him on the ground and helping him gain confidence. The transformation in this horse is already profound.
Foster Update: Finn & Banjo
Here’s a wonderful update about Banjo and Finn from their foster mom Carrie! Here’s a Finn & Joey (aka Banjo) update! Finn’s just as cuddly as ever. His feet have been doing well this summer and is spending most of his time out of his Soft Ride boots, though he’s very tender when barefoot on gravel for 2–3 weeks after his trim. We’ve been going on walks on the Tolt Pipeline trail, with the…
Video: Stella handwalking
Ben at the Joel Conner Clinic, September 9–11, 2016
(as reported by his regular rider, Lisa Garr) In September, Ben and I once again worked under the tutelage of Joel Conner at a SAFE-hosted clinic. This weekend showed a completely new horse in our big ol’ redheaded fellow. Now able to handle pressure from the bit without panicking, we worked on soft feel, isolating front-quarters and hindquarters, and transitioning down off of two reins…
September Volunteer of the Month: Dave Wesche
SAFE’s history is full of inspiring horse stories and the horses inspire volunteers in different ways. What is not always apparent is how volunteers inspire other volunteers. Our September Volunteer of the month, Dave Wesche, has found inspiration and community here at SAFE. He writes about what brought him to us and what keeps him coming back in a genuinely touching way: “I primarily grew up in…
New Intake: Stormy
Stormy is a 22 year old Appaloosa mare who was seized from her owner by Pierce Co Animal Control. Stormy, another horse, and several dogs were discovered living tied to trees and starving, on a wooded property where their owner was squatting. The horses were seized and held in Animal Control custody for nearly 7 months while their owner unsuccessfully petitioned the court for their return.…
New Intake: King
King is a 9 year old Tennessee Walking Horse cross gelding who was seized from his owner by Pierce Co Animal Control. King, another horse, and several dogs were discovered living tied to trees and starving, on a wooded property where their owner was squatting. The horses were seized and held in Animal Control custody for nearly 7 months while their owner petitioned the court for their return.…
A Beautiful Heart
Here’s an update from a new volunteer to SAFE that has us beaming. Diana lives in Bellingham, so volunteering at Safe Harbor is difficult, but she’s making a difference by spending quality time with Dottie. She wrote this morning to tell us how her friendship with this lovely mare is blooming, and we couldn’t be happier for either of them! This is why we are so fond of our companion horses and…
